


The Colored Forest

by AkurnaSkulblaka



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-14
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-11-09 23:28:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/459699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkurnaSkulblaka/pseuds/AkurnaSkulblaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There have been many ill-fated events that have plagued Seireitei City and the twins Ichigo and Shiro are petitioned to head into the Jagged Forest to find out why. What they thought it would be was nowhere near what it really was. Two bored Gods amid a colored forest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Into the Gikleurde Bossen

**Author's Note:**

> **Go to this playlist on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL046DBEDAD28E019F &feature=mh_lolz**   
>  **Just play each song on the cue, they are already in order, and enjoy!**

Something was lurking in the Jagged. Of that Ichigo was sure. The city of Seireitei was known because of its prosperity for the last fifty years. Ruled by King Yamamoto, the land had flourished and thrived. Rich and fertile soil resided inside the towering walls of Seireitei so food was plentiful. The men of the city were brave and loyal, defending their coveted territory from hungry neighboring cities and towns.

Yet, in the past years there had been a series of ill-fated events. Storms came from the east, from the Jagged; enormous storms that ravaged the city, upturning crops, and lifting dirt and debris. Sometimes they were powerful enough to destroy homes. The wind buffeted the city and the rain pelted in stinging, cold drops. The people mourned the losses and cursed the Gods for their hand in the Destinies.

The Jagged was a dense, dark forest that rimmed the east side of the city. It had always been there, a dark shadow tainting the land and recorded on every map. It was said to be gargantuan in size, with permeable darkness, for no sunlight filtered in through the canopy of leaves. Anyone who came close would be abducted and dragged by their feet, never to see the light again, or so it was said. It was called the Jagged because of the immense sharp rock that protruded from the treetops. Ominous and dark, it even had an influence on the interior of the city; the less fortunate lived on the east side of the city, and despite the protective walls, fear still crawled into the bed of the poor, be they man, woman or child.

Ichigo was fortunately one of the prosperous and wealthy of the city, living as a knight in the towering castle at the center. Yet, he and his twin, Shiro hadn't always lived in such conditions.

Their father lived as the medic in their part of the city. Middle class, at best was their ranking. The city was divided into four sectors which were divided into four more subdivisions. The King's castle towered in the middle. They lived in a small house toward the center of Rukon subdivision. Loud merchants bellowed at the tops of their lungs to nab the attention of a passerby. Children thieved and their trickery had no restraint.

The twins had been the strongest of their division wielding magic and swords with utmost skill. As it happened every five years, a tournament was held; one to select the next three men or women that were to be a part of the Royal Guard. Ichigo and Shiro had fought hard and long to get strong enough to defeat each of the two men from each subdivision, only to have to do it again and face off against the next six men from the four sectors. It was a free for all, a killing spree, every man for themselves.

In the end it had been Ichigo, Shiro and a woman named Rukia who had endured and remained standing amid the fallen bodies of the other five men and women.

The three warriors stood, hurting, but still tall and proud as the men and women of the city roared their approval.

When King Yamamoto had seen the two twins and Rukia, he blessed them and bestowed upon their shoulders the weight of the city.

It would appear that the weight had doubled over the past four years. Particularly in the last months, for Yamamoto had proposed that any man that ventured into the forest to find what caused the misery and strife would come back with the respect and acknowledgement of the city.

"You come back merely alive, telling of what you have seen in the Jagged and you will have power," King Yamamoto said.

It looked as if even the prospect of fame and glory did not deter the men of the Royal Guard from their fear of the Jagged.

"I think we should do it, Ichi," Shiro said one morning when they were in their sleeping quarters. The albino had told him of the repercussions of such a feat as going into the Jagged, and Ichigo began to see the idea as a good one. They were strong. Their bravery knew no bounds. Shiro could be reckless at times and despite his claims of only wanting the glory, they were loyal to their home and would do anything for it.

So when Ichigo told King Yamamoto of their acceptance of the challenge, the King had been thrilled and sent them off in a week's time.

Preparations were quick and Ichigo began to look upon his journey with grim trepidation. He and his brother were given the finest armor in the city. Miners went out of the city to find the finest ore to use for their protection and blacksmiths toiled and slogged over fire to mold them into the hardest of armor.

They were given dried meats and cheeses to eat along their journey. Each took a bow and a quiver of arrows. Water skins to keep their throats from growing parched.

They journeyed out of the west gate of the city. No king wanted their doors opened to the Jagged. They travelled along the side of Seireitei, keeping close to the walls so no attention was brought to them. The escorts had been unbelieving. They remained firm on their belief that one look at the Jagged would send the twins back to their beds. Rukia was the one to defend them.

"Ichi, Ichi. You really think you can go into that forest? You'll be killed, especially someone as weak as you," the guard sneered when Ichigo turned to glare at him. "You won't go in there. Coward."

"At least he's trying. Who's the one that told me they were senseless for even considering it? You! You fool!" Rukia growled and grabbing an arrow from her quiver, she poked at Nnoitra's exposed neck.

"You worthless wench!" he said, batting away the offending weapon.

And then they reached the edge of the forest.

_(Cue – Two Steps From Hell, the Truth Unravels)_

"Shiro, are you sure about this?" Ichigo said, his voice quiet, as if in reverence to the bone-chilling silence that seemed to saturate the air. "Maybe we should go back." He looked back at the escorts; Nnoitra was sneering at him.

Shiro plowed forward. "Nonsense, we'll look like fools! We've not even taken a step beneath the canopy of trees!" He held his hand on the hilt of his sword, which rested on his back. His armor glistened in the light of the sun before the darkness of the forest enveloped him.

Ichigo quickly followed behind. "Eeuwige vërlichting," he said, and lifted his hand. The air swirled above his palm for a moment until a bright orb floated over his hand. He could see Shiro's back.

"Light your own, Shiro," he said, quietly. Only when he heard his brother's soft uttering of the incantation, did he relax slightly. He remained alert though.

He could see his brother's back, but the armor did not shimmer as it did in the sunlight. The dark was all encompassing and thick enough to cut. Even the everlasting illumination did little to hinder the blackness. He wondered how they were to navigate their way

back to the edge of the forest.

Would they even come out? They would be trapped in this abysmal gloom for the rest of their lives. Would they wither away and be lifeless like the rest of the forest?

He didn't know. Shiro looked to have enough confidence for the both of them, so Ichigo let him lead. He stayed close behind, looking down every so often to see if there were any roots or loose stones to trip him up. He felt that if he fell, he would never get back up.

\--

They had been walking for hours, it seemed. The forest gave the impression that time was at a complete standstill. Without the sun, how would they know the passing of the days? So far nothing had moved or made a sound. Any normal forest would be thriving and pulsing with living creatures. The only sounds were the footfalls coming from the twins' heavy boots. And even that sounded muffled and muted.

Then it started; small globes of light drifting on the edge of their eternal illumination. They grew closer and Ichigo grew nervous. And Shiro, despite his bout of confidence, began the feel the wear of fright as well. After that, the small lights drew to such proximity that Ichigo could lift a hand and touch it. When he did, ignoring his brother's protests, he touched the orb, and everything changed.

Light shined everywhere, blinding him, making him lift a hand to shield his eyes. When his eyes adjusted he could see the forest floor beneath his feet and the mossy trunks and green leaves of the trees. He looked above at the canopy and took great pleasure in realizing that each tree was a different color. Purples, blues, greens, reds, all mixed together in a kaleidoscope of color. He noticed that the little orbs of light weren't merely floating spheres; they were small pixies. He'd heard of them from far out across the land, but he had never seen one. He lifted a finger and the little pixie sat her dainty feet on the tip of it. She bowed.

"I give you my thanks, little pixie," Ichigo said, tipping his head forward.

The pixie laughed. "Do not thank me yet, young warrior, you have yet to prove yourself," she said, twirling on the tip of his finger. "My name is Orihime, and yours?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki. It is a wonderful pleasure to make your acquaintance, Orihime."

Orihime bowed and said, "No, young warrior, the pleasure is all mine. Welcome to the Gikleurde Bossen." She swept a hand out as if to display the beauty of the forest.

He noticed animals flitted about, some even coming close to him. He knelt down carefully and picked up the hare that shuffled over to him. He walked through the forest, forgetting his brother completely, not even noticing his absence.

\--

Shiro saw his brother disappear, he'd heard his brother's cry and then Ichigo was gone. He turned around, searching in the dismal light for any sign of his brother. "Lumineus!" The spell brightened the eternal illumination, lighting up the forest around him, for a fraction of a second and then went out altogether. All hell broke loose in Shiro's mind. He knelt on the ground, cradling his head in his hands. A protruding stone dug into his shin and he grabbed it, pulled it out of the ground, and blindly hurled it away from him. A sob worked its way from his throat, then another. Then another till he was weeping, much resembling a child. He was never going to see his beloved brother again. He was going to be trapped in this darkness till he rotted away into foul-smelling filth. Heart wrenching cries broke free and filled the forest. So caught up was he in his sorrow that he didn't notice that the only source of light was coming from the orb.

He felt something brushing the back of his hand. He looked up and saw what Ichigo had touched. He attempted to swat it away, but it evaded and again drew closer. Then he noticed that there were more of them, some of them having perched themselves on his armor. He was about to shoo them away in an effort to wallow in his self-pity, when a thought hit him; Ichigo touched them and disappeared, maybe Shiro could follow if he, too, touched the floating orbs.

_(Cue – Two Steps From Hell, Color the Sky)_

He carefully lifted a hand, almost hesitant, and the little light flew forward. As soon as his finger made contact, Shiro felt his muscles tense, then relax; he felt the need to close his hand into a fist, but he had not the strength to do so. Then he saw it; the forest had changed. Light touched everything, revealing that the forest was indeed beautiful. To Shiro it was beautiful, but he wasn't the kind of man who appreciated beauty, so he did not dote upon it as his brother did. He noticed the pixies flitting about; one of them spoke.

"Come, I will lead you to your brother," she said, in a high tinkling voice. She flew forward and Shiro followed.

"My name is Rangiku, what name were you given, mighty warrior?" the pixie asked, settling herself to fly backwards and face him.

"Shiro Kurosaki. Watch where you are going, Rangiku; lest you fly into a tree," Shiro said, grinning when the little pixie huffed and flew faster, still facing him.

"Stubborn bird, I like that," he said. Lifting a finger, he invited her to a seat. She blushed and sat down on the crook of his finger.

"Keep going straight," she mumbled.

They walked in companionable silence, Shiro weaving his way through the trees but keeping in the direction Rangiku told him.

It was when he finally reached the end of the canopy that he saw his brother. "Ichigo!" The albino ran to his brother and nearly tackled him. "Brother, don't you dare do something like that again. I almost died of grief when I saw that you had gone away." He vaguely registered the two fairies giggling and perching themselves in Ichigo's hair.

He took his time making sure his brother was okay. Running his hands over Ichigo's limbs and torso to make certain that nothing was broken or out of place.

"I'm fine, Shiro. And so are you. Let's see if we can go find what's causing those storms."

Orihime laid herself down on Ichigo's head and rested her chin in her hands. Rangiku looked longingly at Shiro who rolled his eyes and patted his own head, making Rangiku squeal in delight and laid herself on her stomach, nestled in the albino's white hair.

"You won't have to look far. The Masters are close," Orihime said, patting Ichigo's forehead with her tiny hand. She sat up and pointed down the river. "It's not far, but it is precarious. There are many obstacles from here to the Masters."

"Will you help us along, Orihime?" Ichigo said, lifting his hand so the pixie could climb over his fingers. Orihime sat down on his palm and smiled up at him.

"Definitely," she said.

Ichigo smiled. "All right, let me put on my armor and we'll be off," he said, and picking up his breast plate, he pulled it over his head, tying the shoulders and sides. Piece by piece, he covered himself in protective silver and gold. He finished by tying the gauntlets and he found himself ready to go.

"Let's go," Ichigo said, letting Orihime settle herself on his head again.

They walked along the river, oftentimes having to wade through the flowing waters to get by. Trees surrounded them on either sid,e covering the river with their leafy ceiling. Ichigo could see the animals that crawled and scampered through the underbrush.

_(Cue – Two Steps from Hell, Wind Queen)_

It was Orihime that heard it first; soft singing coming from the forest on either side of them.

"Santen Kesshun!" she cried, lifting her hands and clenching her tiny fists. Just as suddenly as her cry came, came a wall of yellow light too, surrounding them completely.

"Ichigo, Shiro, I can't hold onto this spell for very long. You'll have to concentrate on your goal. Don't listen to the singing, and whatever you do, _don't touch them._ Stay on the river bank."

Ichigo looked confused for a moment. "All right. But what is it?" he asked.

"Wood nymphs." The redhead gasped and the walls faded.

The singing hit the two humans like a horse on a rampage, with light, tinkling voices that soothed the mind. Ichigo's grip on his own mind became slack and the hypnotizing voices overwhelmed his every thought, till the melodic chorus was all he heard.

Ichigo was turning toward the forest when Shiro's hand came up and gripped his shoulder. "Ichigo, control yourself," his brother said, shaking the redhead slightly.

  
"Gerroff, fool, don't you hear it? It's beautiful! We should go to it," Ichigo said, his speech slurring drunkenly. He stumbled toward the trees, nearly falling in his haste to reach the origin of the singing. Orihime was pounding on Ichigo's head, pulling his hair in a frantic attempt to snap him out of the nymph's trance.

"Ichigo!" Shiro cried, reaching out for his brother.

"What?" the redhead said, turning to look at Shiro.

"Damn it, didn't you hear what Orihime said? Don't touch the nymphs!"

"Just one touch won' kill me! Just a lil' brush of my fingers…" He turned back toward the singing, once again engulfed by the melody.

Shiro saw the creature. It looked like any other woman, save for the dress of leaves she wore. Her long, golden hair tumbled to her thighs as she leaned her head back and continued her chorus. Ichigo was lifting a hand and so was the nymph. They were inches apart when Shiro decided to take action.

"Daverende gebrul!" he shouted, lifting his hands toward Ichigo. His hands glowed white; they kept glowing brighter till even Shiro had to close his eyes. They had to; Shiro needed to draw on the all the power he had. He was battling against a mystical creature of the Gikleurde Bossen, one that had to have been centuries older than him.

Shiro let out a strangled scream and sank to one knee, but the spell had worked. There was a muted buzzing in his ears, covering all traces of the deadly song. And judging by Ichigo's shaking head, the spell had left an effect on him as well. He left out the pixies because they weren't affected by the wood nymph's singing.

Rangiku flew over to him. "You did well, mighty warrior. You did not fall prey to the lethal song. The wood nymph would have killed you both." She drifted so she was floating in front of his face.

She placed her hand on his forehead and hummed softly. "You are severely weakened; we have to rest for a while so you can restore your strength," she said, letting her hand fall back to her side.

She turned to Ichigo. "Oi! Ichigo! Watch over your brother. I'll return; I just need to gather some things. Come, Orihime." She flew off into the forest without another word, Orihime following close behind.

_(Cue – Hans Zimmer, Liberty)_

Ichigo stumbled over to his brother, kneeling beside him. He looked like he wanted to say something. His face scrunched up in concentration. "If it weren't for you I-I would have died. And it would not have been an honorable death. Not a death in battle. I would have died because I gave in to temptation. Thank you, brother," he said, gripping his brother's hand.

  
He kissed his brother's sweaty forehead and laid him down on the river bank. He carefully removed Shiro's armor, piece by piece, and set it in the grass. He pulled off his cotton shirt and folded it in the grass beside the armor. He held Shiro's face in his hands momentarily, brushing away a stray lock of snowy hair, before kissing his lips. He noticed with a dreadful and crushing disappointment that Shiro didn't respond as he usually would, fighting for dominance. His lips barely moved.

"Damn it all, why did you use so much magic?" Shiro knew that using too much magic at once drained their life force. They had been trained and told time and time again that they were not to try and use more than they could give. They had to have enough remaining to keep them alive.

Ichigo peppered tiny kisses over his brother's face. "Please, don't die." The buzzing from his ears was starting to fade and he realized that his brother was passing. His life was dwindling like a candle flame growing smaller till it snuffed out, the life gone from it in an instant. His breathing was shallow. Ichigo pressed his ear to Shiro's chest. He could hear his heart, faint, but the beat was there.

"Ichigo! I'm here; just get me a heavy stone." Rangiku and Orihime flew in from the forest arms laden with leaves.

Ichigo lurched over to the river and grabbed the nearest rock and set it beside Shiro's head. The two pixies set to work immediately, tearing the leaves and pounding the pieces together to form a thick pulp. They set the mixture into a bigger leaf and carried it over to hold it above Shiro's mouth. Each twisted a side of the leaf and slowly, a droplet of clear liquid seeped from the bundle. The drop fell

into Shiro's mouth and instantly the albino's breathing grew heavy and purposeful.

"Give him some time; he'll come 'round," Rangiku said, grinning at Ichigo, who looked relieved beyond belief.

"Thank you, Rangiku, Orihime. You saved my brother's life." He looked toward the east. "The sun is setting. We should sleep," he said and began to remove his armor. He laid himself down on the soft grass, and immediately, his eyelids started to droop. He indistinctly registered the pixies lying on his stomach before he was asleep.

He slept restlessly that night, tossing and turning; his subconscious remaining worried for his brother's life despite the assurance from Rangiku. When he woke he felt slightly better than he did the night before. He yawned and stretched his arms up in an attempt to get his sleepy limbs to function with more ease. He looked toward his brother and momentarily panicked, for his brother was missing. Seeing his armor gone, he relaxed slightly. He was most likely gone to gather food.

He had just finished putting on his last piece of armor when his brother returned.

_(Cue – Thomas Bergersen, My Freedom)_

"I brought fruit that the pixies said we are able to eat," Shiro said, putting his load on the grass beside the river.

Ichigo took in his brother's appearance; he looked hale and hearty, no apparent ailments hindering him. He approached him slowly.

"Are you feeling well, my brother?" he asked slowly, flinching when Shiro looked up at him. The man looked fine, but Ichigo couldn't help but worry; he had kissed death, and it was hard for Ichigo to believe that he was alive and in good health, even gathering food for them both.

"I am, Ichigo. Come, eat with me," Shiro said, gesturing toward the fruit. "The pixies said that eating the fruit would be pleasing," he added, and handing a fruit to Ichigo, he took a bite from his own. Ichigo put his focus on the fruit; it looked odd. The skin was like that of a peach, soft, with fine hairs covering it. But it was a deep shade of purple. He rubbed the soft skin with his thumb before taking a bite from the fruit. It had pulp like an orange and it felt cool in his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring the sweet taste. As he swallowed it, he felt the frigid fruit go down his throat and settle into his stomach. After he was finished with the first fruit, he examined the second; it was tougher and he had to peel the skin to get at what was inside.

After he was done with his third fruit, it was when he began to notice the changes in his body. He felt an overpowering feeling of happiness fade into his mind. He looked at his brother and saw him lying back on the grass, looking intently at the clouds above. He kept his gaze on Shiro for a few moments and then decided that his idea was a good one. As he was lying down beside his brother, he realized he had been having many good ideas as of late.

"Ichigo, I think this is what the pixies meant when they said eating the fruit would be pleasing," Shiro mumbled, slowly as if he had to think about the words he wanted to say before saying them. Ichigo probably couldn't say a word at the time, and he didn't dare test out his theory, lest he humiliate himself in front of his beloved brother. He let the feelings washing over him gradually take over his mind. His limbs began to tingle, and the armor that had been uncomfortable before, started to feel more and more like he was sleeping on a cloud.

_(Cue – Future World Music, Quest for Freedom)_

It was a while before the effects of the fruit began to wear off. Meanwhile Orihime and Rangiku had taken the time to visit the Masters of the forest. It wasn't long, for they could fly the way there quickly. They knew they neared their destination not only by memory but by the pristine cobble stone that covered the ground. When they finally broke free of the cover of trees, they knew they had reached the end of their journey. The two pixies took in the castle that loomed over the Gikleurde Bossen. They flew up to the tallest tower's window and drifted inside.

"Rangiku, Orihime, how are you?" the thick voice carried across the room, sending shivers down both the pixies spines. They landed on the desk in front of the man and bowed deeply.

Rangiku spoke first. "Master Grimmjow, we come to tell you of—"

"Oh you mean the two mortals? I know of them," Grimmjow said. Returning to his parchment, he picked up his quill and began to write again.

"As do I, brother."

The two pixies faced the newcomer and bowed again. "Master Renji."

Renji walked into the room and to the desk. He bent down and looked at the two of them closely.

Orihime looked nervous. "Y-yes, M-Master Renji?" she stuttered, blushing heavily.

Grimmjow stopped writing and looked at the two pixies also. Rangiku was the one that stayed firm. "What would you like us to do with the mortals, Masters?"

  
"They can come here. That is, if they can get past the River Guardian."


	2. The Lovely Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Oh this chapter is late! Blame Skyrim and Eragon, plz. There is more fighting, yay! I hope you readers liked the last chapter! I don't know much about sword play in the medieval times, so I just kinda winged it. :/**
> 
> **The same playlist again! /playlist?list=PL046DBEDAD28E019F &feature=mh_lolz**
> 
> **Just add the youtbedotcom at the beginning and enjoy!**

_(Cue – Two Steps From Hell, After the Fall)_

By the time the effects of the magic fruit had begun to wear off, the two pixies were back and sitting in between the two humans' heads, trying to stay out of Shiro's sight. When they had first arrived, Shiro took one look at them, his eyes had crossed and he fainted on the spot. The two pixies, even Ichigo, had laughed at his expense. When the two men began coming back to themselves Orihime and Rangiku took the rest of the fruit into the forest.

When they returned Shiro was struggling to get up off the ground, while Ichigo strapped his sword to his back. Kicking dirt over the dying fire, Shiro turned to the girls who returned. "Where are we to go now?" he asked.

Rangiku pointed north, "You have to continue down the river," she said, flying into Shiro's hair and settling herself there with a tiny sigh. The pale man laughed and started walking, Ichigo and Orihime following behind.

"So what were those fruit you told Shiro to pick? Why did they make us feel so… disoriented?" Ichigo asked and after jumping over a rock he turned to Orihime, who chuckled nervously.

"Those fruit are called the heileg voedsil, or the holy fruit. The reason the effects were so strong for you was because they are for the Gods to eat." Orihime flinched when Ichigo sent her a look that looked less than pleased. He knew there was something strange about the fruit they had eaten, after the third fruit was eaten he had known that something was wrong.

"You gave us that fruit knowing what it would do to us?" Ichigo asked. When he had begun to return to his mind once again, he'd felt so defenseless. He knew that if something were to attack them at that point they would have been incapable of shielding themselves. And he was sure that any creature that happened upon them would not be as merciful as he and his brother and spare their lives. There were many reasons Ichigo would rather remain alert and watchful of his surroundings; he had been in many a battle where he had seen warriors die, friend and foe alike, because they weren't aware of what was near.

"My dearest apologies, Ichigo. I did not mean to worry you," Orihime said. Tipping her head forward she looked toward the ground, "I only suggested it in jest and Rangiku decided it was a good idea! We thought you would be fine, we didn't know it would affect you the way it did," Orihime promised, looking up sharply, eyes serious.

Ichigo couldn't help but believe her; with her innocent face he was hard pressed to remain angry.

_(Cue – Guitar, Untitled #3)_

They had been walking for almost an hour when they reached a surprising sight. It was an enormous wall; it stretched on for miles on either side and it was taller than the trees of the forest. It was made of wood that was from the colored forest, it loomed over the two warriors, making them dread what was behind it.

The doors in front of them were large and Ichigo was certain they would have to do something to get past them. He looked at where the river flowed beneath the doors, perhaps they could swim beneath them and get to the other side.

He was about to voice his idea when the water in front of them began to bubble. A geyser of steam blasted out of the roiling water and shot into the sky. Just as quickly the mist disappeared, and in its place stood a man, He was unlike any man Ichigo had ever seen. He had the head of a fox, and was taller than even Nnoitra; the water reached his just above his knees. Fur covered the skin showing beneath his blue armor. A sword sat at his waist.

The man spoke: "Greetings humans, my name is Sajin Komamura," he said, "I am the River Guardian of the Gikleurde Bossen, and the defender of the outer wall. You cannot pass. These doors remain closed, and only those worthy enough can set their eyes on what lies beyond."

When Sajin unsheathed his sword Ichigo and Shiro did likewise and readied themselves for the fight that was to come.

The fox raced forward, the water he was treading through barely hindering his stride. Shiro blocked the swing of the blue sword and he felt the shock run up his arm and shoulder, burning like flames through his bones. The fox was strong, it would take everything he and Ichigo had to fight and defeat this Guardian. He slowly realized that Orihime and Rangiku were nowhere to be found.

"You will have to do better than that." Sajin turned and blocked the blow from Ichigo. Shiro was about to charge forward, when a wall of ice appeared and obstructed his way.

"Damn it all, he can use magic!" he realized that the wall surrounded him completely, an icy cage, and he tried to thrust his sword into the ice to create a crack, but once he pulled his sword from the ice, the crack sealed itself away.

He attempted to find any way out, using fire magic to melt it, but try as he might the wall would not budge.

"You'll never get out, unless you defeat me," Sajin said, and Shiro turned to find him inside the circle of ice. He could still hear the clashing of swords outside the wall, so he knew his brother was still fighting. _It must be made of water, which is the fox's main power._

He charged forward and brought his sword down in a graceful arc. The fox blocked it, which sent a shower of sparks flying. Sajin retreated and they circled each other slowly. Sajin swung his arm forward and tried to hit his head with the flat of the blade. Shiro lifted his arm and stopped its progress with the armor on his forearm. He still felt the hit, but the silver gauntlet shielded the brunt of the attack. His left hand still poised and blocking the sword, he raised his right arm in an attempt to cause some damage. The edge of his blade slashed a furrow in the cerulean armor and grazed the skin beneath it.

"Better," Sajin said, and spun around and attacked again. Again and again. Over and over, Sajin struck. They exchanged blows like traders exchanged goods and Shiro's body began to grow weary. Sajin lifted his sword above his head and Shiro dodged the swing that came. He glanced over to where he previously stood only to find a blur of metal whirling past his hear and sticking itself into the muddy riverbed. He heard Ichigo cry out from outside the wall, and his body's fatigue receded. The fox pulled the sword from the ground and swung it in Shiro's direction; ducking, Shiro pressed the flat of the blade into Sajin's stomach.

He pushed his opponent backwards and shouted; "Bevriezen!" the water directly behind Sajin froze and he tumbled backwards. Shiro lunged forward and perched his blade at the fox's neck. Panting, said; "You give?"

"Never," the fox said and bared his neck. Shiro pressed his sword into the Guardian's throat. For a moment nothing happened, and then the body burst and splashed into the flowing river. The icy prison didn't fade and Shiro panicked for half a second before kicking at the wall. The ice crumbled and fell into the river, too.

Ichigo stood, panting and looking worse for wear, but healthy. "What happened?" he asked, "One moment I'm stabbing him in the chest and the next he's in the river."

"We killed him; at least, I think we did," Shiro said, sheathing his sword. Ichigo did likewise and they faced the doors.

"Do we open them?" Ichigo asked, pointing at the handles.

"No."

The two humans immediately reached for the swords at their backs. It was the fox again, but they could not see him. The doors trembled before turning into liquid and falling into the river, allowing the two humans passage. They cautiously walked forward and the doors reappeared behind them.

"Where are the pixies?" Ichigo asked, looking around.

Shiro had noticed their absence but hadn't thought much of it till then. They wouldn't have been much help in the fights, so he wasn't angry that they didn't help, but he was worried that they had lost their guides in the Gikleurde Bossen.

"I do not know, but we should probably stay for a while and wait till they return," Shiro said, and sat down at the river bank.

_(Cue – Wolf Spirit)_

"Rangiku, why are we going back to the Masters' house?" Orihime asked, they were closer now, so the trip wasn't as long and they were almost there. The colored forest flew past them without receiving a second glance, "And why are we going so fast?" she added, annoyed.

"Silly Orihime, we have to tell the Masters what has occurred and we have to do it and make it in time to lead the humans in the right direction." Rangiku said, chiding the young pixie. The two humans made it past the River Guardian, and the pixies needed to tell the Masters of the forest. The Masters might have been able to see their entrance but what they did beyond that was invisible to them. Thus the pixies had to report their findings.

"Alright, I can see what you mean," Orihime said; she didn't know why they had to keep reporting to the Masters.

Then she thought about the safety of the colored forest. Humans could do much damage if they found out about the Gikleurde Bossen and they could invade in hordes. Should they ever get past the illusion that they had named the Jagged, with the rapidly growing power of the humans and their magic, the humans could do a great deal of harm. They could break in, and then there would be a war. A war between the humans and the creatures of the Gikleurde. The humans might not have had the magic that those of the Gikleurde had, but their sheer numbers would surely mount a great battle.

They reached the tower and flew in the window. In the study they looked for one of their masters, but they were not there.

"They are in the dining room."

Rangiku turned towards the voice, "Uryuu, how are you?" she asked, smiling at the little blue boy staring up at them from the floor.

"Well enough, doing the homely tasks of the gods of the Gikleurde is not the most horrible occupation in all the land, but it is hard work," Uryuu's face softened, "But they treat me well, a young kobold* like me with no talents but those needed to do household chores, yet they still took me in."

"That is the compassion of our Masters," Orihime said, flying over to sit on Uryuu's shoulder. Uryuu smiled at her and walked out of the study.

"They will be waiting for you in the dining room, but I will take you there." Uryuu said, leading them down the stairway. They walked through the halls and listened to Uryuu's light footfalls on the cold stone floor. The reached a large door that was guarded by a lone man.

"Tousen, stand aside," Uryuu said, snooty. He never liked the cold and quiet countenance that was about Tousen. Tousen lifted a dark hand and gripped the bow at his back.

"You shan't disturb the gods," he said, leaving the hand at his bow.

"Let them in, Tousen, they have been called," came a voice from beyond the door.

"You heard Master Renji, let us in!" Uryuu shouted, his high voice going higher in his anger. The man let his hand fall from his bow and opened the doors. The child walked inside and went straight for the two men sitting at the dining table; "Masters," he said, bowing.

"Hello, Uryuu, Orihime, Rangiku. It's good to see you here," Renji said, tipping his head. His long maroon hair was tied at the base of his neck, the red strands flowing down his back. He took a bite of his food and smiled warmly at the three beside them.

Grimmjow paused in eating and ruffled Uryuu's hair, "Good to see you, child."

Uryuu growled good-naturedly but took the display of affection with dignity, making Grimmjow laugh aloud. "Come, sit down beside us," he said, pulling out a chair for the boy.

Happy that he had made his master proud he sat down in the offered chair, "The pixies are here!"

"Yes, they are," Renji said, smiling at the two little women, "what have you seen?"

Orihime grinned, "They defeated the River Guardian!" she said, happily. The two gods looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

"Are you sure? It takes a lot to defeat that fox, Komamura," Grimmjow said, grinning.

"She's very sure, Master Grimmjow," Rangiku said, "The humans, Shiro and Ichigo, are very strong."

"I say we let them in. What do you say, Grimmjow?" Renji murmured, looking his brother in the eyes.

"I agree with you, let them in. It's not as if they can do any harm to us." Grimmjow said as he spooned food into Uryuu's mouth. Uryuu chewed and swallowed obediently, but his glare remained on Grimmjow.

Rangiku and Orihime squealed in delight, flying over to the window, "We'll bring them right away, Masters!" they said, and flew out of the room.

Uryuu hopped out of his chair and pushed it over to the window. He climbed back on and waved to the two receding pixies till he couldn't see them anymore.

_(Cue - Hungry Ghosts, I Don't Think About You Anymore But, I Don't Think About You Anyless)_

"The Masters want to see you right away!" Ichigo jumped a half a foot into the air when Orihime and Rangiku came hurriedly out of the trees behind him and his brother.

"Good gods, don't ever do that again, you scared the living daylights out of me!" Ichigo cried, turning to look at the excited pixies.

"We must hurry, the Masters are waiting!" Orihime said, pulling on a lock of Ichigo's hair. Rangiku led the way, for it was well known by now, and they headed off toward the two Masters.

It was another hour of walking and the two humans began to wonder why they had left their horses behind. They reached a steep hill covered still by trees and shrubs, and Ichigo had a feeling that something lay beyond that hill.

Panting, Ichigo walked up over the crest and was greeted by a sight that the two pixies had seen countless times, yet it amazed him, for he had not seen it once.

Wondrous castle, larger that even the one in Seireitei City. Hues of brown and tan surrounded by the beautiful colored forest, and no walls hindering the views of splendor. Large towers protruded from the left and right side, and Ichigo wondered what they were for. In the middle there was a doorway and Ichigo could see a man standing at the entrance. He briefly wondered who it was before Orihime's voice caught his attention.

"This is where the Masters live," Orihyime said, "Well not just the masters," she added, "many creatures live in their home, mostly those whom have proven themselves worthy."

Rangiku nudged Shiro, "Like you two, you defeated the River Guardian, easily, too. You have proven yourselves strong," she said, grinning and flying forward, down the hill.

Orihime followed laughing, "Come on, Ichigo!"

He followed quickly, a pressing need to see what resided within those castle walls urging him onward into the fastest gait he could down the hill; when he reached the bottom he could see the man in the doorway clearly.

Orihime stopped laughing and darted behind Ichigo's head, "I—it's Tousen, the gate keeper. He protects the doorways of any room in the castle."

Rangiku was slightly braver, "Tousen, the Masters requested the humans in their presence. Despite your absence, we have orders," she said, trembling.

"Welcome to the house of the Gods," the man said, he turned and pulled open one of the doors.

Inside was much the same as the outside, grand and majestic. There was a child standing at the end of the hall, he was dressed in a white tunic, and he was barefoot. "Greetings, I am Uryuu and I am here to escort you to your room," he said and turned around, leading them to the right of the entrance hall. They walked down a long hallway, the two humans taking in the picture frames hung on the walls and the scenery outside through the windows.

"Here," Uryuu said, motioning toward an open door, "This is for Ichigo." Ichigo walked inside, looking around. The color of the room seemed to be blue. The bed covers, curtains, the color of the upholstery was also a deep blue. On the right side was a large four post bed, and to the left was the couch and another door, which he supposed led to the bathing room. He walked further inside and noticed there was a tunic lying on the bed and slippers on the floor beneath it.

"You are to wear that when you see the Masters, you can place your armor in the chest," Uryuu said, and walked out of the room, presumably to lead his brother to his own room. He walked to the bed and picked up the tunic, examining the golden designs on the edge of the fabric and the brown sash.

He began to remove his armor and place it in the chest at the foot of the bed. He pulled on the tunic and tied the sash slipping his feet into the shoes. With a grunt he walked out of the door and waited for someone to come and get him. Orihime flew over to him and sat on his shoulder. She remained quiet, which troubled Ichigo. But he, too, stayed his tongue and waited beside his door.

When Uryuu returned he was accompanied by Shiro and Rangiku, "Let's go," he said, walking down the hall.

When they neared the dining room, they were again met by Tousen. "They are waiting," he said and opened the door.

_(Cue – Acoustic Guitar, Untitled #1)_

What Grimmjow expected the humans to be was nowhere near the truth. His eyes immediately gravitated towards the shock of red hair. He stood from his seat, "Welcome," he said. He looked the redhead up and down, admiring the slim body beneath the tunic.

When he looked back up to his face he was met with smoldering chocolate orbs. He grinned; he knew this was going to be satisfying. Very much indeed. He took a step forward and held out a hand toward the other human, "Shiro, is it?" he asked, shaking the hand.

"Yes, my name is Shiro, and this is my brother, Ichigo," the man said, motioning toward th redhead. Grimmjow grinned when Ichigo glared at his brother;

"I can introduce myself, thank you," he groused, before turning to Grimmjow and smiling "Ichigo Kurosaki, it is a pleasure to meet you." He held out a hand and Grimmjow took it.

"Come, you must be hungry, eat something," Renji said, leading Shiro to the table with a hand at the albino's back.

Grimmjow moved his hand, which was still holding Ichigo's and pulled him to a seat beside him. He sat down next to him, and pushed a plate of food toward the redhead. He watched as Ichigo reluctantly took the silver fork and lifted some food to his mouth.

Grimmjow was hard pressed not to take the man and carry him to his own room when Ichigo's face brightened as the flavorful food hit his taste buds. Yes, Hanatarou cooked exceedingly well. He waited for Ichigo to finish chewing before speaking; "How was your journey here, Ichigo?"

"Tiring," Ichigo said, "But it was exciting." he lifted another bit of meat to his mouth, savoring the morsel and then swallowing.

"That is good," Grimmjow murmured, leaning back in his chair. He watched as Ichigo finished his meal entirely, uncaring of the discomfort of the other man. When Ichigo had swallowed the last piece of food, Grimmjow rose from his chair and stretched languidly. He nearly grinned when he felt those auburn eyes scouring his body.

"Come, I will show you the castle," he said, taking Ichigo's hand, despite the vehement protests, and pulling him out of the dining room.

_(Cue – Sparrow, Miika)_

They walked in silence, neither having any real inclination to speak, until they reached a set of ornamental doors. Ichigo admired the craftsmanship and painting of the doors. The carvings in the wood depicted a great battle, and with mounting horror, Ichigo realized that it was one that had occurred in the beautiful Gikleurde Bossen. Ordinary men fighting against the creatures of the Gikleurde, and even some that Ichigo had not seen.

The sheer number of the humans was a frightening contrast to the Gikleurde. From the top the blood and gore was at its peak and as his eyes descended he saw that the creatures mourned and cried to the heavens for their loss in the great battle. At the bottom there were two men; the creatures were bowing to them, dancing for them, some looked to be singing reverent melodies.

"What is this?" Ichigo asked, voice trembling.

"It's the Strijd li Vërus, or the War of Tears," Grimmjow said, looking up at the doors.

"What happened?"

"A thousand years ago, in a time when humans and mystical creatures lived together, turmoil was brewing across the land. Man wanted to rule over everything. They began to enslave the ones not of their kind. The lives of the fae became teeming with peril and hazard. They found themselves incessantly looking over their shoulders, having to risk their lives to leave their homes.

"In time they moved to the east, with their power they created the Gikleurde and lived in peace for three years. The humans invaded the Gikleurde on the third year. Killing everything in their way and doing what they could to make the fae regret their choice of leaving the humans. They burnt down half the forest.

"The fae mourned their burned forest, and their slaughtered companions. From the woes and pained cries of the fae, my brother and I were born. We made the illusion that you call the Jagged. We are the ones that make the forest look like merely the dark remains of a forest that once held their magical desires. For if we did not, the humans would see the Gikleurde and become envious, and history would repeat itself, bringing more sorrow and pain unto the fae."

Ichigo couldn't speak a word. How could he? How could he say anything when he knew that nothing would right the wrong done by his ancestors? Ichigo had listened to the story, and felt remorse and regret for what the humans had done to the fae. Then he thought about the two men he had met. They were the saviors of the Colored Forest. Tricking the humans into thinking that nothing was in the forest but darkness. For a thousand years!

"You are the ones causing the storms, aren't you?" Ichigo asked, looking up at Grimmjow.

"Yes, my brother and I are the Gods of wind and water. I of the water and he of the wind," he said, "With our power we make the ravaging storms that plague the west."

Ichigo felt angry for a mere second, but then he understood; those storms planted the fright in the hearts of humans at the thought of the Jagged, making them not want to go near it, for fear of dying. They merely do it to save the ones calling the forest home.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** = Kobolds are an ancient German myth. They oftentimes take the form of children and usually help around the house, yet they can play malicious and dirty tricks if insulted or neglected. That aside, just imagine a kid!Uryuu 3**
> 
> **The next chapter focuses on GrimmIchi. And the one after that, RenjiShiro! Then the epilogue, but I won't tell you what that is.**
> 
> **Review please, it helps greatly when I write long chapters for you guys and then get lovely responses!**
> 
> **AkurnaSkulblaka**


	3. Poppy Blossoms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sorry for the late update guys, I just came back from a looong time without internet :/**

**The Colored Forest – Chapter 3**

When Ichigo went to his room for the night, he found sleeping clothes lying at the foot of his bed. He slipped into them and pulled back the expensive covers and climbed into the large bed. He lay on his stomach and his eyes roved over the carvings on the polished wooden head board. No story resided in the shaped wood, only tangled vines and leaves furrowed into it. As he looked at the patterns Ichigo's eyes drooped, heavy laden with exhaustion.

His tired mind managed to come up with blurry thoughts; what would he do to stop the Gods from making the storms? And if he and his brother succeeded would the humans become brave and venture off into the forest?

With these anxious thoughts in his head, Ichigo fell into a restless slumber.

Ichigo awoke to the sunlight slipping in from the window, the curtains were still drawn, but light seeped in from an opening, making Ichigo realize he had slept late. Ichigo could see the small dust particles floating in the draft of light. They meandered aimlessly, having no direction, going nowhere. Ichigo let out a puff of air and the seamless flow was disturbed, and the dust flew in every direction.

He took his time getting out of bed, a heavy feeling of lethargy hanging over him, reminding him of the fitful sleep he'd had the night before. He went to the washroom and noticed that there was a ceramic tub full of water, and it was still hot. He stripped himself of his clothing and climbed into the warm water. He scrubbed himself down with soap and rinsed himself off. He leaned back in the soapy waters and took a deep breath of the humid air.

The thoughts that plagued him the night before had not been forgotten after the night's sleep. He had no clue what he was going to do to stop the storms. But he knew one thing; the key to doing it would lie in pleasing the two Gods who saved the forest.

He climbed out of the tub and grabbed one of the drying cloths that were neatly stacked on a wooden cabinet beside the tub. He dried himself off and when he walked back into the room, there was another tunic on the bed. This one was blue. Bemused, he put on the tunic and walked out of the room. He made his way down the hall to the dining room, barely remembering where it was. He walked through the doors, seeing Grimmjow sitting at the table, spoon feeding Uryuu. Ichigo held back his laughter as he looked at Uryuu, who was glowering murderously at Grimmjow. The blue haired man had a taunting grin adorning his face, telling Ichigo that the god was having a good time.

When the plate was empty Uryuu huffed and hopped off the chair and walked toward the door. He paused briefly in front of Ichigo and bowed, leaving the redhead confused.

"Ichigo, come. Sit down and eat," Grimmjow said, before getting up from his seat, and walking through another set of doors, leaving Ichigo alone. He sat down in the chair beside Grimmjow's and waited for him to return.

Grimmjow came back with a plate in his hand, which he set down in front of Ichigo. "Have some breakfast, you haven't eaten," he said.

"Thank you," Ichigo said, and took a bite. Just like the night before the food was delicious and Ichigo ate every bite.

"Did you like it?" Grimmjow asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, I really did. Give my compliments to the cook." Ichigo replied, placing his fork and knife on the plate. Ichigo looked at his empty plate and wondered whether or not the fae had food to eat when they had half a burned forest. What a horrid thing it was, not having food. He knew what it was like to go hungry, for his family had gone through it. Many of the families from the Rukon subdivision had.

He wished dearly that it was not so, he wanted to know yet at the same time he didn't. He did not have the gall to ask, either. He wished that many of the things that happened to the Gikleurde had not happened at all. But it had. He could do nothing for it, for turning back time was impossible, despite all the magic in the world. He looked up at Grimmjow who was looking back at him, unblinkingly.

There was something different about the redhead. He did not have the same fire that he had the day before, and Grimmjow did not like it at all. He looked sad, Grimmjow thought. He thought about what could be ailing the man. Perhaps it was the tale of the Strijd li Vërus. He told him the night before and then he woke up with an overhanging gloom about him. This convinced Grimmjow. Yes. He took Ichigo's hand and gently pulled him from the seat.

"Let me show you something," Grimmjow said, letting go of the redhead's hand, he walked toward the door. Ichigo followed quickly, not wanting to be left behind in the castle, which might as well have been a labyrinth, for all he knew of it.

Ichigo guessed they must have gone to the side of the palace because they reached a spiraling stairway that he assumed led to the top of the tower. They reached the top and Ichigo walked into what might have been Grimmjow's study. Books lined the walls, high up to the towering ceiling and a desk resided in the far corner. Papers littered the elegant wood and a red feather quill sat beside the unrolled parchment. He walked over to the desk and bent over to get a better look at the feather.

"You can pick it up, if you want," Grimmjow said, startling Ichigo. The redhead picked up the quill and nearly dropped it when he felt the heat emanating from it. He held it up in the light coming from the open window and twisted it slowly in between his thumb and index fingers. The fibers of the feather glittered in the light like a fire…

"It's a feather given to me by a phoenix, after I saved what was left of the forest. He gave it because with my water the remains of the fire were extinguished."

Ichigo looked at the feather with awe; he had only heard of the phoenix, and that they mostly represented death and resurrection for they lived for five hundred years, then burst into flames and from the ashes another phoenix arose.

"What did your brother receive from the phoenix?" Ichigo asked, still examining the feather.

"He didn't, he received a single hair from a unicorn's mane, for carrying the swiftest wind across the land," Grimmjow answered, looking at Ichigo.

Grimmjow stepped closer to a door at the far side of the room, and opened it. He held out his hand in invitation, showing Ichigo out the door. Ichigo carefully set down the feather on the desk and walked through the threshold into the outside, looking around him in wonder. He could see the farthest reaches of the forest, and nearer to the castle he saw that Uryuu was outside and playing with the animals of the forest. The small boy laughed when a doe nuzzled his cheek and Ichigo smiled fondly.

Grimmjow smiled; he knew that would get Ichigo out of his pool of depression. It didn't bother Grimmjow that the redhead was human. The resentment and hate he felt for the humans for the things they had done had dispersed long ago. After that he just used his powers to keep them away, and as far as possible from his people and their home.

His smirk grew, "You feel better yet? You were acting like a real woman," he told Ichigo. He crossed his arms and waited for the outburst he knew was to come. He looked to his left, and was met with fiery amber eyes.

"I am not a woman, nor do I act like one! I've seen many grown men cry when they lose family members; sometimes they even shed tears for their comrades. Yet, as you can see I did not cry," he hissed, leaning in as he made his point.

"Is the destruction of the Gikleurde not a good enough reason to shed a tear?" Grimmjow asked, turning to face Ichigo and leaning a hip against the balcony.

Ichigo looked across the forest, thinking about his answer. He had been in the forest for merely two days, yet he had grown to love it and it's creatures like he loved his city. Of course the bloodshed would get to him, he valued life, be it his enemy or a friend. He didn't kill for pleasure; he only allowed death when the dire need came for it. His brother, for example, he would kill and be killed to spare his brother's life. Yet, he knew that all the fae blood that was spilt was to save this beautiful forest. So indeed, he did think the War of Tears was worth a shed tear.

"It is," he said simply, looking away from the forest and toward the man standing beside him. No, he wasn't a man, he was a god; a god that had brought the Gikleurde from its knees, to stand tall and strong, without an enemy in sight.

"But there is no reason to anymore, the forest is flourishing like a flower under the sun. The creatures in it are happy and content." Grimmjow looked at Ichigo, "Most of the fae that live now weren't even alive during the Strijd li Vërus, they don't know of the bloodshed. As cruel and unnecessary as it was, it is what brought us to what we are now."

Ichigo looked back at the forest, lifting a hand to stray off the light of the setting sun. He didn't really find that he could say anything to that. It was the plain and simple truth. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made to make it to something better. The fae made theirs and they were reaping the benefits.

The day passed with relative ease, Ichigo spent some time with Uryuu, in the front of the castle. He found that the boy was much more intelligent than he let on. He knew of the Strijd li Vërus, and of the destruction human kind had wreaked upon the fae.

"I read from Master Grimmjow's library," the boy said, "The books revealed to me why the Masters of the forest were even here. For why did a forest full of magical creatures need guardians, with all the power it has?"

Ichigo had not responded and merely continued looking in the direction of the forest. He was delighted to find that the boy was not angry at Ichigo for what his ancestors had caused, just at the ancestors themselves.

Hours had passed and Ichigo and Uryuu walked into the dining room for dinner, surprised to find that it was full of people. He saw his brother across the room with Renji and a woman that Ichigo did not recognize. Grimmjow approached him, clad in leather armor. Ichigo was puzzled when he noticed that the weapon at the God's waist did not have a blade, it was a mere hilt.

"The blade only forms when I need it, it is made from water," Grimmjow said when he noticed Ichigo's confused stare; he pulled the hilt from the leather strap it hung from and handed it to Ichigo. The redhead examined it closely, running his hands on the sapphire that was embedded in the silvery rain guard. He handed it back and Grimmjow who put it back where it belonged at his waist.

"Come, you should put your armor on for this dinner." Grimmjow murmured and walked from the room. Ichigo looked down to where Uryuu stood beside him, only to find the boy gone, his eyes skittered across the room landing on the boy on the far side of the room talking with Orihime and Rangiku. Seeing that the boy was safe, Ichigo walked out of the room after Grimmjow.

When Ichigo walked into his room, Grimmjow was there, looking out the window at the setting sun. Ichigo was reaching into the chest at the foot of the bed when Grimmjow grabbed his arm.

"Come with me, I have much else to show you," Grimmjow said, grabbing a hold of Ichigo's hand and pulling him out of the room. When they walked out the castle's front doors night had already fallen, and the moon caste a silvery glow unto the forest. "Good," Grimmjow mumbled, walking forward into the shade of the trees. Ichigo followed hurriedly, not wanting to be left behind.

The Gikleurde was very different during the day than it was at night. The trees were not colorful; everything glowed in silver and grey. Whatever the moonlight touched shined like silver, and the patches of shade stood out in great contrast to the lit forest floor. He bent over and picked up a fallen leaf. It looked faintly purple in the moonlight, but it still glittered like metal.

They walked for a half hour before Grimmjow stopped, motioning behind him for Ichigo to stop, too. Ichigo stood as still as he could, but slowly turning his head every which way to try and find what made them stop. He nearly jumped a foot in the air when a light began to drift from in between the trees. Suddenly Ichigo dared not move, for there coming from behind a clump of trees was a glorious white stallion, stepping silently in the dark of the night. He noticed the beautiful gleaming horn atop the horse's head and belatedly realized that it was no ordinary horse, that it was a unicorn.

Grimmjow slowly lifted a hand, which the unicorn quickly nudged with his black nose. Grimmjow ran his hand up the horse's long snout, his other hand coming up to pet its nose. The unicorn nickered lowly, bumping his nose against the God's cheek. Its deep and knowing blue eyes flitted over to where Ichigo stood.

Ichigo was startled when something nudged his back, and he whirled around and nearly gasped in awe. Another unicorn stood, proud and head raised high, before him. This one was different, with black fur instead of white and red eyes instead of blue. He looked up at the iridescent ebony horn and wondered what it would feel like to touch it. The unicorn whinnied impatiently and Ichigo lifted a hand and rubbed it over the horse's forehead. He noticed a sparse amount of silvery hairs in the center of the horse's forehead, and he gently ran his fingers over them.

"These two are the _grote paarden._ Or, the Great Horses, as you would call them. They rule over all, unicorn and common-horse alike," Grimmjow whispered, "They are wise beyond their species, and may as well have known you all your life, for what they can tell of you."

"You mean to say, they can tell what a person is like, despite having not known them?" Ichigo asked, still petting the black unicorn's gleaming coat.

"Yes. Why do you think they are here? They would not reveal themselves let alone let you touch them, if they did not think well of you," Grimmjow said, looking at the redhead. Ichigo felt a blush creep on to his cheeks as he looked into those deep blue eyes. He decided that they looked like a blue poppy blossom in the spring green. Rukia would always set a vase full of them on the twins' window sill every chance she got.

Ichigo jumped when the black unicorn pushed his muzzle into his back and wouldn't stop till Ichigo walked forward and stood before Grimmjow. He looked up at the God, who looked back at him, his eyes roving over the redhead's face. Ichigo's heart was beating so hard it was pounding in his ears and it embarrassed him when he thought that perhaps, with the short distance between them, Grimmjow could hear it, too. Grimmjow leaned forward, slowly, unhurriedly inching closer, so that their lips where centimeters apart. Ichigo took in a deep breath though his nose, breathing in the scent of the forest. The warrior belatedly realized that it was not the forest he smelled, but the scent of tempered leather and fresh pine coming from Grimmjow.

Their lips touched and they stayed that way for a while, not moving an inch. It was Grimmjow who gripped Ichigo's forearms and tilted his head to get better access to the redhead's mouth. Their mouths moved and their bodies shuffled closer, each small step bringing them closer, till they had no room in between them. It wasn't a dance, nothing of the sort in fact. It was a sensual and synced battle, tongues warring against the other, fighting, writhing, and twisting within the space of their wet mouths.

They parted slowly, having no real reason to rush. Ichigo rested his forehead on Grimmjow's shoulder, and jumped slightly when Grimmjow wrapped his arms around his waist.

They thought about what they'd done, long and hard. For what would become of a God with an attraction to a mortal human?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **It's a little short! I'm sorry. But I wanted to at least give you something! :3**
> 
> **Please review!**
> 
> **AkurnaSkulblaka**


	4. The Return

When they walked back into the dining room, Ichigo was clad in his armor, and more than moderately composed after a romantic walk in a moonlit forest. He walked over to his brother and was bombarded by a strong grip around the neck and a face full of breasts. He heard Grimmjow's loud guffaw and wondered if it was a common occurrence with this woman to choke men and stop their breathing. He blushed as he gripped the woman by her curvy hips and pulled her from him. For a second he panicked because the excited female did not loosen her hold on his neck, but after a few agonizing moments the arms dropped and he could breathe again without taking in a lungful skin.

He looked at the woman and realized with another blush that her low cut armor only covered her upper half, leaving the dark skin of her midsection bare. The pants she wore were mere mesh with armor covering what was unsavory. Altogether the armor seemed not to protect very much, leading Ichigo to believe that it was enchanted to repel weaponry. He had only heard stories of humans that had found charmed armor that would send a sword flying if it hit the wearer of the armor. He imagined that it would take much effort to bewitch an inanimate object. Her purple hair was tied up high on her head, keeping the silky strands from falling in her face. The woman lifted a hand, with much more dignity than he thought she could have after having hugged him like a child.

"Yoruichi Shihouen, pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said, as Ichigo took her hand.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

The woman smiled and walked closer to him, making Ichigo fear that she was going to hug him again. She didn't. She merely patted his armored shoulder and then led him to a table where Renji and his brother sat together. He gazed hungrily at the food on the table as he sat down in one of the chairs.

"Ichigo, where have you been all day?" Ichigo glanced at his brother and smiled, rubbing the back of his head while laughing nervously.

"Ha! Sorry Shiro, I got—uh—lost in the forest, yes, that," he said apologetically, for he didn't want to tell his brother that he had been out on a romantic and gallivant tour of the forest with the very god that'd had a hand in the storms that destroyed their city time and time again. He smiled at Shiro before looking across the table to Yoruichi. "What manner of creature are you?" he asked.

Yoruichi laughed quietly, "Why I'm a shape-shifter, of course," she said and then got up from the seat. She walked around the table and stood beside Ichigo, who had turned around to keep his eyes on her. "Just watch."

There was a moment where Ichigo thought nothing would happen, and then Yoruichi burst into flames. Ichigo cried out, reaching momentarily to try and save her, only to put his hand back down when the flames died down. He gaped when he saw that Yoruichi no longer stood, but in her place sat a large panther. She licked an enormous paw and looked at him with golden eyes that shined with mischief. It was then that Ichigo really had to have a sort of fearful respect towards the Gikleurde and the creatures in it. They could do anything they liked with the powers they were born with. Yet, they didn't. There hasn't been sight or tale of any fae people for many years, and the only thing one could learn would come from scrolls and books. Now, looking at Yoruichi, Ichigo could only say one word.

"Beautiful."

Yoruichi let out a growl and Ichigo feared for his life for a mere second, before realizing that the grunts were laughter. He nearly fell off his seat when a very male voice came from the sitting cat.

"Many thanks, human. My feline form is very beautiful indeed," she said, before she transformed back into her human form in another ball of flame.

Grimmjow, who had taken a seat beside him, leaned toward him and whispered in his ear. "She's as moody as a cat, too. So watch out for her." The moment he said it a strained smile stretched on Yoruichi's lips. She sat back down across from Ichigo, and reached toward a platter that held a large roasted turkey. She carefully cut off the leg with her knife and brought it to her plate. With a steady hand she cut off a sliver of the roasted turkey and Ichigo could practically hear the serrated knife cutting through muscle and sinew. She brought the meat to her mouth. She chewed and swallowed. Just when Ichigo thought she would ignore Grimmjow's smart remark, she looked up sharply, her golden eyes teeming with wickedness. Ichigo knew that he should steer clear of Yoruichi's fiery temper.

Ichigo ate and drank with the fae. He talked and grew closer, wanting nothing more than to stay there for the rest of his life.

He knew he couldn't, he thought as he walked back to his room. There were many things that needed to be done in Seireitei City and he had to go back and do them. And he couldn't rely on the fae. Many of the fae that lived during the Strijd li Vërus still lived in the forest, and one could only guess how they felt about two humans being allowed entrance into their beloved home.

That night Ichigo left the warm comfort of his bed and went in search of his brother's room. He found it. Yet he could not go inside. He heard the guttural cries of pleasure coming from behind the door and he knew what his brother was doing. It was mostly garbled noises coming from his brother, yet one word stood out. Well Ichigo thought that perhaps it wasn't a word, but a name. He pressed his ear to the door and he heard it again.

"Renji!"

The cry was muffled and sounded much like Shiro was burying his face into a pillow, but that aside, Ichigo knew why Renji had placed his hand at Shiro's waist on the first day they met. He blushed heavily when he realized that he was eavesdropping on his brother's sexual encounter, so he carefully backed up from the door and turned to leave. Well, he would have, if he hadn't walked into a wall of solid muscle. He nearly screamed in righteous humiliation when he realized that Grimmjow had been standing right behind him.

"Damn it all, Grimmjow! What do you get from scaring me like that? You walk like you're a ghost," Ichigo hissed, low enough that the two inside wouldn't hear. Grimmjow snickered and grabbed his arm.

"What do you get from listening in on your brother having sex?" Grimmjow sneered, leaning his head close and pressing his lips to Ichigo's. The redhead gave in and kissed back for a moment. Then he remembered that he was angry at Grimmjow. He pushed him away, whipping the back of his hand over his lips to try and wipe away any evidence of the kiss.

"I'll have you know that I wasn't _listening in,_ I just needed to speak with him for a moment. He just so happens to be preoccupied at the moment," Ichigo said nonchalantly, crossing his arms over his chest. Grimmjow just grinned and leaned in for another kiss, this time cupping his cheek to keep him from turning away.

Ichigo gave in that time, in many ways. He gave in by kissing him back. He gave in by doing something that he knew was not the best thing to do. Because he was a mortal, yet here he was kissing a God, like they had known each other for years and one of them did not have an end to his life.

He wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's neck and pressed his body closer to the bluenette's. A warm hand gripped his waist and the hand at his cheek travelled to the back of his head. There was a whisper of mist across his cheek and then he was laid back onto a soft bed. He vaguely wondered how they had reached his room so quickly, but the thought was erased from his mind when Grimmjow kissed him again. He felt a hand go up his night shirt, caressing the skin of his stomach. Ichigo ran his hands up Grimmjow's back and belatedly realized that he was shirtless. All was silent save for the lewd smacking noises coming from the two kissing men and the occasional moan from Ichigo. Ichigo smoothed his hands over the bluenette's abdomen, mapping out every dip and crevasse, trying to commit the feel of his skin to memory. Their lips parted when Grimmjow lifted Ichigo in an attempt to remove his shirt.

Ichigo was disappointed when Grimmjow did not kiss him again, he only looked down at his flushed features, taking in what he had done to the proud and quarrelsome man beneath him. He ran a hand through the unruly copper locks, making the man turn his head, kissing Grimmjow's wrist, inviting the touch. He took great care in running his hands over Ichigo's torso, while kissing and nipping at the redhead's neck.

Ichigo could hear his heavy breathing and he could feel Grimmjow's hair on his cheek, and he believed that he could never be closer to anyone. Sure there had been the lowly whore for the lonely man to shed his woes upon, yet, Ichigo had never had this closeness from anyone but his brother. To feel protected was a marvelous feeling. He didn't only feel protected. He felt everything that Grimmjow did for him in this moment of intimacy; the graze of his tongue against his neck, followed by the small suction; the feel of his fingers trailing softly over his belly. And then the feel of Grimmjow's swelling shaft rubbing against his own. Even the feel of Grimmjow's hot breath fanning over his neck. He barely registered the night pants slipping down his hips, but he did feel the burning pleasure as pink lips wrapped around his manhood.

Grimmjow's head bobbed as he suckled carefully on Ichigo's turgid member. He lifted a hand and ran it over Ichigo's heaving chest and pinched a nipple, making the mortal cry out. He kept suckling, hollowing his cheeks, and running his slippery tongue along the bottom. Ichigo's thighs clenched with each outward pull of his shaft and he could feel his body ablaze with the euphoria coursing through his veins. And then a creeping, building pleasure washed over his loins, his muscles shaking as his seed spilled past the lips wrapped around his pulsing shaft.

Grimmjow swallowed his essence, before climbing back up and capturing Ichigo's lips with his own. Ichigo's breathing finally evened out and Grimmjow decided that his turn had come. He got up from the bed and walked to the bathroom. He grabbed a small bottle of fragrant oil and tipped it over his hand, pouring some out, before slathering it over his penis. He walked back, flask in hand, still spreading the oil over his erection. He climbed atop his lover and kissed Ichigo's lips again, easily slipping his oiled finger into Ichigo. He slowly pushed in a second, trying to ignore the hitch in Ichigo's breaths. When a third came around Ichigo's eyebrows scrunched in discomfort.

Then Grimmjow did something with his fingers and hit a sweet spot inside Ichigo that made the man see stars. His muscles tensed and then loosened as a hearty groan escaped his lips. He grabbed a handful of Grimmjow's hair, pulling roughly and trying to get a grip on his emotions. The fingers were removed from inside him and they were replaced by something bigger and Ichigo blanched. The slick penis slowly slipped inside his body, the size of it making his inner walls stretch and his eyes widen in surprise. Then the blunt head grazed that spot inside him, making him groan lowly and wrap his arms around Grimmjow's neck. Grimmjow peppered kisses in every place he could reach with Ichigo's grip around his neck.

His thrusts started out slow and deep, prolonging the feel of being sheathed in Ichigo's warm entrance. But as Ichigo moaned and wiggled his hips, Grimmjow got the feeling that he should move faster. He did, his thrusts had more force and his back and forth motion quickened, making Ichigo wail every time that spot inside him was touched. The feel of being inside someone was electrifying, especially Ichigo. Whenever he thought about it, it made more heat build in his nether regions and his grip on Ichigo's hips tighten. The slapping of flesh against flesh, along with the fevered moans coming from the two lovers made noise echo throughout the room. Cries fled Ichigo's mouth, uninhibited and uncontrolled.

The coil in his belly wound up, tighter and tighter, until with one final thrust, Ichigo's semen dribbled from the tip of his member and onto his stomach. The telltale clench of Ichigo's inner walls squeezed Grimmjow so hard that he, too, came hard into Ichigo.

Grimmjow's shaking arms held him up, letting him look down at an exhausted and satiated Ichigo, who looked up at him through half lidded and tired eyes. He settled himself beside the man and wrapped his arms around him, bringing Ichigo's head to rest on his chest.

"Rest well, Ichigo. The storms will cease," Grimmjow said, flicking a stray lock of coppery hair from Ichigo's forehead. Yet, he didn't have to say it because Ichigo's breaths were already deep and heavy. He had already fallen asleep.

In the morning, Ichigo awoke slowly, still warm in the cocoon of Grimmjow's arms. He remembered the night before and he blushed heavily, his mind providing him with a flurry of images to remind him of the pleasure that Grimmjow brought him. he remembered the last words Grimmjow had spoken to him before he slipped into an exhausted sleep.

_Rest well, Ichigo. The storms will cease._

Grimmjow seemed to have an idea of what he was thinking because a hand ran down his arm and lips captured his in a lazy kiss. When the kiss was over Grimmjow pulled back and spoke; "They will, I have spoken to my brother. We will not create anymore storms to destroy your city." The God looked away, "You may return home," he said, his face holding a look that told Ichigo he did not like the thought of him leaving. He looked sad.

With the way Grimmjow said it, Ichigo almost didn't want to return home. He wanted to stay in the forest with Grimmjow and watch their relationship grow. But, as unfortunate as it may be, Ichigo did not belong with the fae, he belonged in Seireitei, with his own people. So that is what he told Grimmjow. Grimmjow did not like that he thought he was not welcome. He gripped Ichigo's arms, leaning in close.

"You are welcome here at any moment, you can return whenever you so desire," he insisted, before kissing Ichigo. Grimmjow was the one that decided they leave that day.

"The sooner you get the news to your king, the sooner you can return to us," Grimmjow grinned, "You have yet to get to know Renji."

Ichigo smiled. Because he knew that he would visit Grimmjow when he could. He knew that he had responsibilities in Seireitei, but he would still get a chance to see Grimmjow. He spoke with his brother when they met for breakfast.

"Shiro, I think you'll agree with me, but I think that we should keep the presence of the fae to ourselves," Ichigo said, before putting a forkful of eggs into his mouth. He chewed slowly, watching his brother for his reaction.

Shiro just nodded and said; "I agree, brother."

After breakfast the two mortals went to their room and gathered their things, readying themselves to leave. It was when they were outside the castle doors that the two humans started to feel the wear of a sad goodbye. Yet, it wasn't a goodbye.

"Make sure to come visit us, sometime soon," Grimmjow murmured, running his hand through Ichigo's hair. Ichigo smiled reassuringly.

"I'll make sure I do," Ichigo leaned in and kissed his lips, slowly. When they separated Grimmjow took a hold of his hand and placed something in it. Ichigo felt it with his fingers for a moment, before looking down at it. It was a necklace, with a small pendant which had a glistening blue sapphire in the center.

"You will know what word to use, when your need is most dire," Grimmjow said, smiling when Ichigo placed the necklace around his neck, tucking into the inside of his armor. "Go in peace, Godspeed to you and your brother."

Ichigo smiled, "I will return."

Rangiku and Orihime stayed with them through most of the trip, but once they approached the edge of the forest, the two pixies said their goodbyes. When Ichigo and his brother broke the line of trees all they saw were their two steeds along with Rukia, waiting for them. She looked sad as she stood beside her own horse, patting his nose.

"Rukia!"

The little woman looked up abruptly, her eyes full of hope. The slow unbelieving smile that spread across her face made Shiro and Ichigo feel very happy to be home.

"Ichigo! Shiro! I've been waiting for you," Rukia said, hurriedly running over to them. She kissed their cheeks each in turn, running her hands over Ichigo's face, making sure he was alright.

Rukia went that way for a while, doting over them, making sure she wasn't seeing some illusion from the Jagged. Once she knew that they were both very real and that she was not being tricked, Rukia let them mount their horses and head home.


	5. Battle Set in Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fighting's coming baby!

When Shiro and Ichigo reached the throne room, the reaction that they received from the king was nothing out of the ordinary. Yamamoto's straightforward question did disturb the two men, because that was Yamamoto's way.

"What did you find?" was the question.

Ichigo took a breath and stepped forward, bending on one knee.

"Your Highness, we are sworn to secrecy, yet we can say that these storms that have plagued us, will no longer be doing so," he said. As he sat, on one knee and looking at the ground, he could practically hear his king's brow furrowing.

"What is the meaning of this? The only sworn loyalty you have is to me," the king stated, and Ichigo heard the rustling of fabric.

"Mages! Delve into the minds of these traitorous fools."

Shiro shot forward, touching his brother's shoulder, in an attempt to strengthen the magical bond. But the magical power that was bombarding their minds was too powerful. The royal mages were selected from the most mentally powerful children in the kingdom, and trained till adulthood. Shiro and Ichigo had no chance, thus, the barrier they had erected around their minds was pierced and their thoughts were exposed to those loyal to the kingdom. All that they had done, what they had discovered, and what lie behind the inky veil of darkness was revealed to the eyes of the mages.

Just as soon as the whole ordeal had begun, it ended. Though they had not moved an inch throughout the mind reading, the two men collapsed on their knees, physically drained from the magic they had used to fruitlessly protect their minds.

One of the mages spoke up; "There is a powerful force that must be stopped. Creatures reside in a place called the 'Gikleurde Bossen' and they have the power to overthrow us, if they so desired." He looked at the two warriors crouched on the stone floor, "And these fools have done the unthinkable with them."

Ichigo looked to the floor, ashamed, though, not of what he and Grimmjow had done, but because it had been seen as a mistake.

"If they are threatening my kingdom, they must be stopped!" the kind bellowed.

Ichigo grunted, in his attempt to rise to his feet.

"N—no! They have gone through enough!" he yelled. He turned to the mages, eyes blazing, "You know what happened to them centuries ago, how the humans nearly eradicated their kind and left them hopeless with nothing left but corpses and ashes from a burning home! Tell him what you saw. Damn it, tell him!" he screamed, pointing to the king on the throne. When the mages remained quiet Ichigo let loose a cry of pure, unbridled fury and lifted his hand, magic swirling in his palm threateningly. Just as he was about to attack, there was a low thrumming sound and a grunt from Ichigo, then he crumpled to the ground, face first. Shiro's eyes widened, horror slowly filling his bones and speeding up his heart. His mouth opened and closed in an attempt to say something, his eyes fixed on the arrow protruding from Ichigo's back. He looked up, to the warrior that had shot the arrow.

"Rukia," Shiro murmured, his eyes roving over her stony features. "Why?" he asked.

"You betrayed the king. And me," she said hatefully.

He fell to his knees, crawling pitifully to his brother's prone form. He stared at the back of his brother's head, silent tears seeping from his eyes. His brother was… dead. Laying on his front, unmoving, not even to breathe, he was gone. With nothing more to do, Shiro merely cried. He hoped dearly that one of Rukia's arrows would pierce his heart and end his life along with his brother's. He saw nothing. He focused on the body in front of him, yearning for some slight movement. Of course nothing happened, except for a small statement from the man sitting on the stone chair at the front of the room.

"Take Shiro to the dungeons," the king said waving his hand at the two men.

The white haired man didn't even struggle, and as the guards took him he uttered one statement that left the king icy with fear.

"Your last breaths are drawing near," Shiro whispered, "be prepared, your Highness."

Rukia returned her bow to its place at her back and walked forward to the body lying on the ground in the middle of the throne room.

"I'll take the body; I would like to see his flesh burn for what he's done." She snapped her fingers at one of the many guards and he rushed forward to pick up the body.

Rukia walked down into the castle, the same way that Shiro had been taken. Walking briskly, with short curt commands toward the guard to hurry himself, they made it to the burning room.

"Leave."

The guard dropped the body to the ground, and left. Rukia knelt down beside Ichigo and pulled the arrow from his back, noting that there were no bloodstains on the shirt beneath his armor. Meaning the blood did not flow from the wound when it had pierced his skin. Rukia smiled.

Her plan had worked. It was a split second decision. She selected the arrow with the red fletching from her quiver, and she shot Ichigo with an arrow that was tipped with a potent paralytic poison. It slowed down Ichigo's heart, so he wouldn't bleed out, and he appeared dead. It took her nearly a year of stealing ingredients from the potions master, and experimenting to perfect the poison. She opened a satchel she had strapped to her waist and pulled out a small thistle branch. She used her fingers to remove the blossoms and, with a small wince at the strong taste, she chewed the blossom and then flipped Ichigo onto his back. She placed her lips over Ichigo's, using her tongue and pushing the blossom into his mouth. The strong taste would wake him, slowly, but it would.

Ichigo awoke unhurriedly, his mind sluggish and his body numb. It took a while for his mind to remember what had transpired in the throne room, and once he did he could do little about it, for his body was unresponsive. He attempted to lift his hand, but to no avail. Perhaps if he started with a smaller goal, he could accomplish more.

He started with his eye lids, and with little effort he was staring up at the stone ceiling. He tried with fingers and toes, and little by little he got them moving. It seemed an eternity of flexing and un-flexing of his muscles that he felt he could finally sit up. He did so slowly. He looked around, noting that he was no longer in the throne room, but in the burning room instead. He scrambled away from the burning fire pit that was in the middle of the room. He looked quickly around, looking for the person that brought him there. He spotted Rukia in the corner of the room, sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest.

"Rukia," he whispered, "why am I here?"

The woman's head lifted quickly, her eyes wide and frantic. She crawled forward and then placed her hands on Ichigo's cheeks once he was within grasping distance. "Ichigo! I—Gods I thought I had killed you!" she whispered, the words coming out frenzied and disorderly.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, confused.

"I shot you with an arrow, no time to explain, we have to get you and your brother out of Seireitei, quickly." She got up to her feet, pulling Ichigo up with her. He swayed for a moment before lunging after her. They ran through the halls of the castle, and Ichigo thought that they needed to remain hidden. "Een met de schaduwen." The illusion spell rolled off his tongue and soon he and Rukia were cast in a cloak of iridescent invisibility. Should anyone pass, the two would merely stand still and they would be completely invisible. They just had to refrain from making any noise. Simple enough.

When they reached the dungeons one by one the guards were quickly and silently killed with a simple dagger to the throat. They ignored that cries and pleas for freedom from the other prisoners and focused on finding Shiro.

Shiro lunged forward when he spotted Rukia, unknowing that his brother was still very much alive. He hit the cage doors with a thud, "What are you doing here, you venomous bitch," he ground out.

Rukia lifted two hands, palms out, in an attempt to placate the man, "Calm down, Ichigo still lives!"she whispered.

"I do, brother, but that aside, we must leave," Ichigo said, then looked around for a key.

"Check one of the guards," Rukia said.

The searched each of the guards, but found nothing. "We'll have to pick the lock," she said, "Here; I found these on one of the guards." She handed him three lock picks, "Don't break them, they're all we have."

Ichigo knelt down, inserting his dagger and one of the lock picks and carefully feeling out where the lock would slide open.

The first one broke. Ichigo let out a muffle curse, they needed to hurry up, and the illusion spell had already lost its effect, so they were visible to anyone who walked into the corridor.

He inserted the second lock pick, beads of sweat forming on his upper lip, and trickling down his temple.

He turned slowly, making sure there was no resistance. He turned the lock so the lock pick and his dagger were nearly adjacent to one another, and finally he heard the lock click. The door opened.

"Oh thank the Gods," Rukia breathed. Shiro flung the cage doors open, and wrapped his arms around his brother's form.

"Gods, Ichi, I thought I lost you," he said, hugging him as close as he could.

"We don't have time for this!" Rukia hissed. "We have to leave, let's get to the stables."

They walked up the stairs to the main floor of the castle. They walked into the main hall, near the entrance of the castle. Here they hesitated. The mages would surely see through any illusion spell cast. They couldn't go in head on, for they could not alert the whole of the royal guard. It would be a death sentence.

"Let me handle this," Rukia whispered. She pulled out a tiny white flask from the satchel at her waist. She uncorked it and lifted the nozzle to her lips. she drank till it was gone and then slowly she disappeared. Shiro and Ichigo watched as the first mage fell to the ground dead, and arrow protruding from his head. The guards in the room unsheathed their swords, readying themselves for a fight. Ichigo drew his own bow and strung an arrow. He pulled the string taut, his eye on the man directly in his line of sight. He released the arrow and it sailed toward the mage, planting itself in his heart. Little by little the enemies in the room were killed, and their passage was cleared. Another illusion spell cast, the three left the guards in the room bewildered and running to the mages to see if they were truly dead.

They walked through the doors, and set their eyes on the stables to the left.

Just as soon as they walked through the doors a bell rang through the air.

"Damn it all! They know we escaped!"

They ran this time, foregoing the horses and running to the eastern gates. Shiro and Ichigo both unsheathed their swords, running and hacking through the guards that approached them, Rukia slowly killing by planting arrows in the hearts of her foes. An arrow struck Shiro in the shoulder and he cried out, nearly falling forward. He wrenched the arrow from his flesh and threw it aside. They could heal it once they were a safe distance from the city. They were nearly to the gates, when the alarm stopped and the guards ceased their attack. They ran through the gates just as they were closing. Still they kept running, not daring to stop and heal their wounds, for fear of being killed by an unforgiving arrow.

They breached the line of trees and immediately they were in the Gikleurde. Ichigo knew that the fae knew something was wrong. They would not have let them in if they thought otherwise. He noticed that Rukia had also been let in.

"We're not going to make it in time!" Shiro panted, "Seireitei has horses, and we don't. They could reach the tree line in no time at all and the mages could use their warping magic to breach the barrier."

Ichigo nodded, "You're right."

If only they had brought their horses!

He wasn't about to stop running, though.

Grimmjow watched as Ichigo ran. He knew something was wrong, that was why he let them in without preamble. He just didn't know what was wrong. What had happened when they returned to their home? They were hurrying, that was for sure. Ichigo needed help. Help that he could give. He reached out his mind to the one being that could help Ichigo reach them in time. He knew that she would know what to do.

Ichigo stopped abruptly. He whooped seeing the beautiful black unicorn galloping toward him.

The horse stopped inches from him and he stared into her gleaming red eyes. She was here with purpose, he knew that. He mounted her quickly, kicking his heels into her sides, making her jump forward, and speed toward their destination.

It was like nothing he had ever experienced. She weaved her way through the trees, and for any other horse, this would have slowed her down. But she ran like water through a rocky creek. They ran this way till they reached the clearing where the castle resided. Here she sped up, the ground even and free of obstacles to dodge. The black mare galloped across the grassy plain, her sides heaving. The ground was eaten up by the mare's long strides, and the castle was growing nearer. Ichigo leaned forward, his hands gripping the mane in front of him and his eyes set on the castle doors, which were opening as they approached. Grimmjow and Renji were walking out, looking stern. When they stopped Ichigo dismounted and patted the mare on the nose.

"Thank you, Shadowmere," Grimmjow said. The horse whinnied, and Ichigo realized that Shadowmere was the horse's name.

He looked at Grimmjow, "We must hurry, Seireitei could attack the Gikleurde at any time," he said.

Renji's eyes widened, and he looked at his brother.

Grimmjow looked furious, "We will not lose another battle! Renji, let us gather the fae," he ordered.

They both lifted their hands, and just as soon as they did, clouds gathered overhead. The white puffy clouds fused, until they were a tumultuous black, covering the Sun. Thunder boomed shaking Ichigo to the core, and lightning flashed, illuminating for a moment what was once shrouded in darkness. Lightning flashed, and then he saw them. Slowly the fae were seeping in from the trees, surrounding them and the castle. The poured from the neighboring forest till the clearing was completely filled. Ichigo noted that even animals had come. He suddenly grew nervous. He was here bearing news of an attack forthcoming by his own people. Who knew if the fae would not kill the messenger.

"My people, my friends, I have not the time for preamble, so let us get straight to the issue at hand. Our friend comes bearing grave news; the humans have been made aware of our presence and want to invade our precious home!" Grimmjow cried.

Piercing wails echoed forth from the crowd. Yet, though some were indeed outraged that the humans would even have the sheer _audacity_ to invade the Gikleurde, some cries were let out in utter despair. Ichigo thought that those were the survivors of the Strijd li Vërus. They still had the memories of a horrid war fresh in their minds.

Renji spoke next.

"People of the fae, fear not, for though we lost many lives in the War of Tears, this time, we will not be defeated so easily! We are here to protect you, and we have three new champions on our side, to aide us in our fight against the humans! We will show these humans," here he paused, looking around at the people around him, "That we are not to be trifled with. That we are a solid population of this land, and that we belong in our home just as much as they belong in theirs!"

The reminder that the two gods were there to protect them made the fae spring up in glorious war cries. Ichigo looked at the faces of the people surrounding him, and they looked ready to defend their precious home. Ready to give up their lives to protect what they had.

"Go forth! Take up your swords, axes and warhammers. Adorn yourselves in the garb of war. Prepare yourselves for the fight of your lives! We lost once, but we will not lose again. What we lack in numbers, we make up for in strength, in determination, in purpose! Now go! We have a home to defend! " As Grimmjow finished, the crowd roared their approval, making Ichigo think that perhaps the people of Seireitei could hear them.

The fae ran back into the forest, to their homes, to take up arms against a force they had seen once before. To a force they had lost to once, but wouldn't lose to again.


	6. Field of Blood

Nnoitra didn't know much about what was going on. He knew that those two twins had returned from The Jagged and they had discovered the presence of another population hidden within it. He knew that they were dubbed traitors in the eyes of the kingdom. It was too bad. Nnoitra liked the red haired one. But the people in the forest had to die. Along with Ichigo. So when he and the other of the Royal guard were told to saddle their horses and get ready for war, Nnoitra did just that. The speech that the king gave was unremarkable, for he had given them many times before. Indeed the king had given many speeches for waged war against others. But Nnoitra followed. No matter how cruel the action was, or how much harm the deed would cause when done, Nnoitra followed.

He never thought that the storms were being meticulously brewed by two gods in a 'colored forest.' It seemed impossible. Yet many things could happen in the world they lived in.

Yet, he relished in the chance to kill again. All he dealt with were drunken brawls and petty thievery. It had been too long since there was a good bandit raid. He loved to see blood spewing from a fallen body. It excited him, and the blood that flowed like mead in an inn enticed him into killing again.

The men left the city in long lines, their weapons sheathed. The king liked to be civil, giving the opponents a chance to surrender what he so desired. Nnoitra thought it was a waste of time. they would of course refuse. They thought they could win.

* * *

There was a subtle change in the fae surrounding him. They leaned slightly forward, readying their weapons for the impending attack. They stood in front of the forest, protecting it. Ichigo sat on Shadowmere right beside Grimmjow who sat on his own steed. He had been given armor to replace the armor from the Seireitei, so he was not to be confused with the rest of the King's men. He saw them then, the Seireitei soldiers opening the western gates of the city. They were but a line in the distance, but as they approached, the fae grew restless. Yoruichi growled beside him, the fur on her back standing on end.

King Yamamoto rode at the front. They had decided to forego the illusion and they left the Gikleurde for the world to see, and Ichigo could feel his greedy eyes on the forest. Yamamoto was to fight, he was garbed in armor and he carried a sword at his side. Ichigo unsheathed his own sword, listening as others did the same. The king dismounted, walking to the middle of the clearing.

The king spoke:

"Surrender the forest now, and you may live," he said, releasing his sword from its sheath.

Grimmjow, who had released his own weapon, responded;

"Over my dead body," he groused.

The king looked impassive, as it if didn't affect him that he was the cause of many lives to be taken, "So be it," he responded. Silence permeated the air as he returned to his horse, only disrupted by the clink of armor and the wind blowing through the clearing in which they stood. The king mounted his horse. Grimmjow lifted his sword and let loose cry that resounded through the silence like a bell, sentencing death upon his enemies.

Ichigo spurred Shadowmere on with a small kick to her sides. The horse launched forward, eliminating the space between Ichigo and the Seireitei men. Shadowmere jumped into the fray, and Ichigo swung his sword on her right side, slicing a man's chest open. Blood spurted from the man's wound, landing on Shadowmere's coat. She landed gracefully, turning to face the next man that came to kill. She turned, giving Ichigo the chance to swiftly cut off the man's hand, then reared up on her hind legs, bringing her hooves down on him, crushing his wailing in one fell swoop.

She ran forward again, allowing Ichigo to injure as many men as he could, leaving a trail to weakened men in their wake. One man evaded his sword. "Nnoitra! You bastard!" Ichigo cried, gripping his sword harder. The man grinned.

"You think you can stop us?" Nnoitra asked, without waiting for an answer he rushed forward, fell to his knees and slid on the blood soaked ground his sword hand extended ready to cut off Shadowmere's legs. Ichigo grinned when she disappeared in a cloud of pitch black smoke. He landed on his feet, swiftly turning and blocking the sword that was to cut his arm.

"We can," Ichigo cried. He backed up, his weapon pointed at Nnoitra, and the guard mirroring his position. Ichigo was completely aware of the man before him; the deep breaths he took, his grinning face, the bead of sweat trickling down his temple.

He noticed Nnoitra's slight lean toward the left and he quickly lifted his sword to block the oncoming swing from his foe's blade. Nnoitra backed up and Ichigo twisted and made an attack of his own. His sword did not strike as intended, because Nnoitra ducked swiftly, using his leg to kick Ichigo's legs from under him. His sword went flying from his hand, landing a few feet away from him.

Ichigo rolled to his left, narrowly avoiding the blade that was to bury itself into his heart. He rolled to his feet, running to his sword as Nnoitra pulled his sword from the ground. He grasped the hilt and quickly parried the blow from Nnoitra's sword. They exchanged blows for a few moments, and Ichigo began to think that he would never get the upper hand on the man before him. He ducked under a swipe of his opponent's blade and then thrust his own. Nnoitra dodged to the left, yet his cheek was left with a small incision, that trickled a small droplet of blood. It was then that Nnoitra lifted a hand to wipe the blood from his face. Ichigo took a leap forward bringing his sword down and cleaving Nnoitra's arm from his body. The man dropped his sword and screamed to the heavens, reduced to a crying baby as the severed nerve endings burned with the rage of the summer Sun.

Ichigo looked at the pitiful man, seeing that he was no longer any harm to the fae, he left him alone. Shadowmere appeared before him, and he mounted her quickly. Yet, just as Shadowmere turned to jump into the battling masses, Ichigo saw, out of the corner of his eye, Sajin swing his sword with little effort, severing Nnoitra's head clean from his shoulders.

Without remorse, Ichigo turned and began his fight against the Seireitei anew. Man after man, Ichigo slaughtered, his armor broken and dented by the many blades that had attempted to cut through it. The men of the Seireitei were growing weary. But so were the fae. Dead bodies littered the ground, and Ichigo felt a deep sadness for each of the fae dropping to the ground mortally wounded, or lifeless. Yet he killed the opposing side remorselessly, but still disappointed that it had to come to this; the loss of lives.

The men he killed began to blur. He knew none of them, but he knew they had families, waiting for them in the city. Their faces as he took their lives depicted fear and the sheer insanity that they go through as they realize that they are about to die.

Ichigo jumped from Shadowmere's back and thrust his sword into a soldier's neck, and turning as the man fell and slicing another's chest open. Shadowmere crushed any remaining half alive, killing them with her deadly hooves.

He grabbed the arm of one of his previous comrades, and pulled him back, shoving him into another man. He drove his sword into his chest, watching as the man behind his widened his eyes in horror. He heard the yowl of a cat and saw Yoruichi jump on the man's back. Her enormous jaws clamped on the man's neck, and she wrenched her broad head to the side, severing any ties his head had with his body. Ichigo felt the wear of the many lives he had taken. Little by little he killed off every man he could.

He saw Rukia a ways away, Shiro at her back, shooting the men of the Seireitei with her deadly arrows. He saw the king. Rukia had her arrow pointed at the man, her eyes narrowing in concentration. Just as the king jerked his sword back from someone's body, Rukia released the arrow that plunged into the King's heart. The man went flying backwards with the force of the arrow, landing heavily on his back.

Then he noticed that the men were retreating, fleeing back inside their precious city walls. They took their antsy horses, mounting them, and galloping them toward Seireitei. He heard what they were screaming.

"The king is dead!"

The battle was over. It was then that Grimmjow gave the signal. The archers.

The arrows killed them from above.

* * *

He met Grimmjow in the middle of the field looking for any remaining survivors, his watery sword glittering in the moonlight. The sun had descended from the sky and the only thing lighting up their path was the moon and illumination spells. He faced the God, looking deep into his eyes, seeing the sorrow as he had glanced from one fallen comrade to another.

"Grimmjow…" Ichigo placed a hand on Grimmjow's cheek. It was then that Ichigo saw him, an archer, protected by his own men, his arrow aimed for his blue haired companion. Shadowmere whipped her head in Grimmjow's direction. Ichigo couldn't let Grimmjow die. Not ever. He jumped forward, hitting Grimmjow's body, full force. He and Grimmjow hit the ground, but the arrow may have missed its mark, but it did hit something vital. Ichigo. Grimmjow gently pushed Ichigo from it top of him, gasping as he saw the arrow protruding from his side.

Grimmjow turned to look at the archer. He looked at the fae surrounding him, "Kill them," he ordered, before turning back to Ichigo.

"Ichigo, Gods, why?" he asked gently, "I'm immortal, you fool." He looked into the cloudy eyes of his lover, noticing that they looked blank and lifeless. He was fading… and Grimmjow knew what he had to do. He had given Ichigo the necklace, so if this happened he could save himself. But he was too weak, even to speak, let alone lift his hand to hold the necklace. Grimmjow couldn't lose Ichigo, not when they had this budding relationship that had so much room to blossom. They barely had time together, he couldn't end that now. He had to save him.

He pulled the sapphire necklace from the man's armor, holding it in his palm. He closed his hand over the jewel, and let his other hand rest over Ichigo's cheek.

"Grimmjow… you aren't doing what I think you're doing?" Renji asked, looking intently at the hand clasped around the jewel.

Grimmjow spoke, "I can't lose him."

"Weer leven geven, brengen te zijn wat was eens verloren. Terug mijn liefde voor mij," he whispered gently, kissing Ichigo's lips. A faint glow emanated from the jewel, the light slipping through the God's fingers. Grimmjow released the pendant and watched as the blue light seeped from it and drifted towards him. The light surrounded him and he felt a tingle in his chest. He knew what it was. His immortality. The immortality that resided in his heart was being slowly removed. Once separated from his being it would be the most potent healing, and it would surely save Ichigo. Grimmjow gasped and his eyes widened as he stared at the blue light coming from his chest. It eased from him, and grew brighter, till the people around it had to shield their eyes. Suddenly the light was gone.

Grimmjow looked at the motionless form of his lover. He wasn't moving, not even breathing. Giving up his own immortality had not worked and Ichigo was lying lifeless on the blood stricken ground.

He gathered Ichigo into his arms, uncaring of looking weak in front of his people, and he wept.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh snap.

**Author's Note:**

> **I really hope you liked it! Thanks for the inspiration, Shadow~! :)**
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> **Next chapter coming soon!**
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> **Now I need some help. Who should be the river guardian? Kenpachi? Or…**


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